Excerpts from the 1848 diary of the Bishop of Newfoundland

Bishop of Newfoundland's
1848 diary

The Bishop wrote about the Jersey merchants who had settled in his diocese

"On the southern parts of the coast, at Blanc Sablon and Forteau, are large fishing establishments, owned and conducted by merchants in Jersey, who send their vessels and crews in the month of June, which remain till October, wholly employed in catching and caring the cod. In Sandwich Bay there is a large salmon fishery, conducted by highly respectable merchants in London, who by the end of July have shipped off all their catch of salmon, cured and preserved for the market in England and the southern states of Europe.

"The agents, or captains of the crews, are all Jerseymen, and have frequented this bay every summer for 25 years and upwards. They arrive with their crews in the month of June, and return in October, generally sending away from each establishment one vessel loaded in the middle of the summer. The crews, or fishermen, are chiefly from Jersey, and average 50 men. One woman accompanies each crew as cook.

Careless and ungodly life

"It may easily be supposed that, in the absence of all religious instruction and supervision, the life of the people is careless and ungodly. There is no public service on the Sunday, nor other sacred observance of the day, which it may be feared is often spent in worse than idleness. They do not commonly fish on that day; but there is an express proviso in the articles they sign that they shall work on Sundays if required. They turn the fish on the flakes, if necessary, and go in quest of bait; but the common occupation of the Sabbath is the washing of clothes.

"The only book I saw of a religious character or purpose in the Agent's house, was a report on the state of the Missions of the Wesleyan Methodists, in French, and printed at Paris. The Jerseymen generally converse in the French language, and several of them hardly understand English. Such is the condition of these fishermen for four months of the year; and the want of religious instruction at the time when domestic ties and social restraints are also removed, must, in the common course of things, issue in great ungodliness.

"The Sunday evening is too commonly spent (by those who may not be engaged in catching bait) in dancing and singing, or other such amusements. The few resident families will of course be influenced by the examples and invitations of the strangers. The prospect is very disheartening, and I returned to my Church ship in much grief.

"At twelve o'clock, the wind continuing ahead, I went with Mr Mountain in a four-oared boat to Jersey Harbour. Found the worthy Agent engaged as usual, and as always, in drying and curing his fish. Some 35 years he has been employed in this place and service, with no other pursuit, purpose, or prospect, but fish-fish-fish; and yet he appears contented and happy, and is by no means cold as a fish, or hard as a rock. He is the Agent of Messrs Nicolle, of Jersey. We returned and dined on board.

"Prayers in the church at half-past six o'clock, with a much-increased congregation. After service I took a long walk with Mr Mountain, and discussed all matters on which he required or desired advice. His zeal and devotion are very edifying and encouraging; and all that seems needed to qualify him for the missionary work, and make him abundantly useful and successful, if God will, is experience, and, till that be attained, patience.

"In the summer, more than 1,000 persons employed in the fishery from England, Jersey, Canada, and Newfoundland, are resident for three or four months. It would be highly desirable that the clergyman at Forteau should be able to converse in the French language, for the sake of the Canadians and Jerseymen.